Garment pressing machine



Nov. 8, 1932. c. M. CLARKE ,6

GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Filed Dec. 8, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 28 I w v a m CZarence 7 Clarke ---"Nov. 8, 1932. I c. ML CLARKE 1,886,644

GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Fiied Dec. 8, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 8, 1932. c. M. CLARKE GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Filed Dec. 8. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jvwem bdz Clarence .W. Clarie awwmm Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE M. CLARKE, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASS IGNOR TO UNITED STATES HOFF- MAN MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION. OF DELA- WARE GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Application filed December 8, 1926.

This invention pertains to an improvement in garment presses and has reference to an improved mechanism whereby the head of the press may be moved toward and from the buck so as to effect a downward substantially right-line motion of the head toward the buck in the final closing action of the press. The mechanism also provides for a substantially right-line initial opening of the head with reference to the buck, then a further upward and rearward motion so that the buck is carried to the rear clear of the head and at a point materially above the same. Such movement of the head with reference to the buck enables the operator to view the buck in its entirety in order to insure a proper lay of the goods thereon and to manipulate the goods without placing his hands near the head, which is usually hot.

Broadly stated the invention may be said to comprise a base or frame carrying the fixed buck; a head cooperative with the buck; a head carrying frame having a motion of bodily translation and a series of links attached to the head carrying frame and to the main frame of the machine whereby the head carrying frame will be caused to pass through the cycle of movements above outlined.

Means is employed to normally raise the head carrying frame and throw it rearwardly and means is likewise provided for drawing the frame downwardly and forcing the head into pressing relation with the goods or garment imposed upon the buck.

I am aware that, broadly considered, such movement of the head as above outlined is not broadly new, the same being disclosed, for instance, in French Letters Patent to i The Zeidler Corporation, No. 595,111.

The invention in a simple embodiment is disclosed in the annexed drawings wherein, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of the press with the head shown in its open rearmost position;

Figure 2 a similar view showing the parts in their closed position with the actuating treadle and the cooperating power applying means in their locked position; and

Serial No. 153,397.

Figure 3 a front elevation of the tally broken away.

The linkage mechanism for supporting the head may he applied to various forms of machine frames but in the instant case the frame may be said to comprise a base casting 1, a top plate or bed 2 and two similar L- shaped sheet metal vertically disposed members 3 and 4. These members are substantially L-shaped when viewed in cross section and at the forward portion of the press the forward edges of said members 3 and 4: are spaced apart (see Figure 3) for the purpose of accommodating the actuating mechanism later to be described. The members 3 and 4 are suitably secured to the base 1 and the top plate or bed 2 inany desired manner as, for instance, by spot welding, riveting orthe like.

Surmounting and secured to the bed plate 2 is a buck support 5 of any standard form upon which is secured the buck 6. Said buck may, of course, have any desired form or contour and similarly with the head, which is denoted by 7, it will be covered with suitable padding or the like according as the press is to be used for garment pressing, as such or for laundry purposes. It is, of course, understood by those skilled in the art, that piping for supplying steam for heating and steaming purposes will be attached to the head and the buck and to one or both of said elements for the purpose of creating suction or vacuum.

The usual table will likewise be present upon the base plate 2.

Inasmuch as these features are old in the art they are not shown in the present instance.

The head 7 is secured to and carried by the forwardly extending member of the head carrying frame which in this instance is shown as formed from sheet metal as, for instance, steel pressed to form and is denoted generally by the reference numeral 8.

As will be seen upon reference to Figures 1 and 2, said head carrying member or frame takes the form of an inverted L and comprises a relatively wide plate-like element 9 press parfrom which extend outwardly and rearwardly projecting flanges 10 and 11; This construction and provides a strong yet light and somewhat flexible supporting member for the head.

Extending upwardly from the base 1 are lugs 12 and 13 to which, respectively, are attached links 14 and 15, said links extending forwardly and being pivotallyconnected at their forward ends to-the lower ends of the side flanges 10 and 11. In other words there is provided a pair of links which stand in parallel relation to each other, said links being pivotally connected to the lower por= tion of the head carrying frame and to a support at a point some distance in rear thereof. s

-Pivotally secured tothe side frames or ele ments 3 and 4 is a secondpair of links 16 and 17, said links extending forwardly from their point of attachment as at 18 and 18 respectively, and being pivotally connected at their forward ends tothe side flanges 10 and 11, respectively, of the head carrying frame. This upper pair of'links is short as compared to the lower pair of links and standin parallelism tobeaoh other and, when the press is brought to its closed po-sition,stands in substantial parallelism with the lower pair of links. The head isthus supported, guided and positioned by links which cause the frame 8, and the head carried' thereby, topass through the cycle of movements above specified. i l l c Any suitable mechanisnrmay be employed for actuating the head. In the present instance I have shown-two springs 19-and 20 attached, at their upper ends,th1 'ough a suitable adjusting connection 21 and 21 to the bedplate 2 and at their lower ends to suitable brackets 22 and 22 secured to the lower end of the head carrying frame 8. Said springs normally act to raise the lower end of the head carrying frame and through it the head to the position shownin Figure .1. T o lower the frame andto force the head downwardly into pressing relation with reference 'to the goods imposed upon the buck I provide a foot lever 23 fulcrumed at its rear upon a shaft 2 l mounted in suitable lugs or extensions 25 of the base frame 1. The lever at its forward end, is provided with atreadle 26'and a latch 27 which, when the lever depressed by the operator, engages a fixed stop 28 s'ec'uredtoor formed as a part of the base casting 1.' 'E'X- tending upwardly from the treadle lever 23 is a pair oflinks 29 and 30, (Figure 3) which,

at their upper ends, are pivotally secured to a cross shaft or bar 31 mounted in "the forward end of the'bifurcated arm 320i? a-bellcrank lever,'the other endof the lever being likewise bifurcated and denoted by 33.- Said lever-'is'fulcrumed upon a shaft 'or bearing 34 mounted in-a pair: of downwardly"extending l arms 35 'and 35 ofa casting secured tothe under face of the bed plate 2. A link 36, adjustable as to length, is interposed between the lower end of the lower arm of the bellcrank and the bracket 37 secured to the forward face of the lower end of the head carrying frame, or, more specifically, to the forward face of the lower end of the cross web or body 9. The lower end of the bell-crank lever and the link 36 form, in effect, a. toggle which, when the "bell-crank is rocked upon depression of the lever 23, approaches a strai htened position and forces the head carrying frame downwardly and forwardly. It is thought that the operation of the press will beclear from the foregoing description but broadly stated it may be said to be as follows: e 1 Assuming that the press is in the position shown in Figure 1 with the head elevated and thrown to the rear, the operator will place the garment upon the buck and secure a proper lay thereof; As-above noted, he has clear vision of the ent-ire buck and can secure a proper lay 'of'the goods without any inter ference at all by reason of the fact that the head is elevated and thrown entirely to the rear. He may then close the press by-placing his foot upon the treadle 26 or may draw the head forwardly by grasping the handle38 mounted at the forward' end of the sideeleinentsd'Q and ll and swing the head frame forwardly. 'Bothjpairs of links, the relatively long lower pair and the relatively shorter upper pair will swing downwardly and forwardly from the position shown in Figure-ltoward' thep'osition shown in Figure 2 and by reason of thefact that'the upper links jare short','the' lower end of'the head carrying frame8 'willbe swung inwardly and the upper end "forwardly and downwardly. Continued downward'motion' of the lever 23 will ultimately bring the parts'to thepositi'on' shown in Figure 2 and. during; the'latter portion of the movement the head will apipreach the buckin a substantially right-line thus ipreventing the .head from wiping or draggingacross the goods and thus destroying the properlay thereof. I l The pivoted latch'27', when the-lever23f has been fully depressed, locks the press inits closed position, or that shown in Figure 2. It is to benoted that in said figure-the head and buck are not shown in coutactbut this space'is'ordinarily taken up by the padding Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In a garment press, the combination of a frame; a buck supported thereby; a head cooperative therewith; a head carrying frame having a downwardly extending member located to the rear of the buck; a pair of links pivotally connected to the lower portion of said member, said links extending outwardly and rearwardly of said portion; a pivotal support for the outer ends of said links; a second set of links relatively short as compared to the range of motion of the head, pivotally attached to the downwardly extending member at a point above the lower links; a pivotal connection for the outer ends of said short links; means for moving the lower end of the head carrying frame downwardly; and means acting to raise the rrame.

2. In a garment press, the combination of a buck; a head cooperative therewith; a head carrying frame having a downwardly ex tending portion; pivoted linkage means interposed between the lower end of said downwardly extending portion and a fixed member; a second pivoted linkage means relatively short as compared to its range of movement, said second linkage means being interposed between the downwardly extending portion aforesaid and a fixed member, the point of connection between said second linkage means and the downwardly extending portion being above that of the first;

means under control of the operator for moving the head carrying frame downwardly; and means acting to raise said frame.

3. A press as set forth in claim 2 wherein both linkages extend rearwardly of the head carrying frame.

a. In a press the combination of a fixed main frame; a. buck thereon; a pressing head; a supporting frame therefor, said frame having a forwardly extending upper portion to which the head is attached and ii *ewise having a rear downwardly and inwardly extending portion; links pivotally connecting said supporting member to the rear portion of the frame, said links being spaced vertically in the length of the downwardly extending portion of the supporting member, the upper links being materially shorter than the lower links and short relatively to the range of motion of the pressing head whereby the head supporting member will be given a relatively wide range of lateral movement toward and from the buck; means connected to the supporting member serving to elevate the same; and means for forcing said supporting member downwardly.

5. In a garment press the combination of a frame; a buck supported thereby; a head cooperative therewith; a head carrying located to the rear of the frame having a downwardly extending memberlocated to the rear of the buck; a link pivotally connected to the lower portion of said member, said link extending outwardly and rearwardly of said portion; a pivotal support for the outer end of said link; a second link relatively short as compared to the aforementioned link and pivotally attached to the downwardly extending member at a point above the lower link; a pivotal connection for the outer end of said short link; means for moving the lower end of the head carrying frame downwardly and means acting to raise the frame.

6. lna garment press, the combination of a supporting frame; abuck carried thereby; a movable frame; head carried thereby into and out of vertical pressing engagement with the buck; a link unit pivotally connected near the lower end of the movable frameand to the supporting frame; a second link unit pivoted to the movable frame and to the supporting frame at higher points than the first link unit, said second unit extending rear ward from the movable frame and being short as compared to the total range of movement of the head, said link units being substantially horizontal when the head contacts the buck, the pivotal connections of the link units to the movable frame moving in divergent paths when the movable frame is raised; means urging the movable frame upward and means under the control of the operator for moving the movable frame downward.

7. In a garment press, the combination of a supporting frame; a buck carried thereby; a movable frame; a head carried thereby into and out of pressing engagement with the buck; and two link units each pivoted at their opposite ends to each of said frames and spaced from each other in the direction of the line of thr st between toe head and buck, the pivotal connection of the link units being so located that the links are substantially parallel with each other and substantially perpendicular to said line of thrust when the head contacts the buck, the pivotal connections of the link units to the movable frame moving in divergent paths when the movable frame is raised and at l ast one of the links being short relatively to the total range of movement of the head, whereby a pronounced lateral component is imparted to the opening movement of the head.

8. In a garment press, the combination of a frame; a buck supported thereby; a head cooperative therewith; a head carrying frame having a downwardly extending member buck; a link pivotally connected to the lower portion of said member, said link extendingoutwardly and rearwardly of said portion; a pivotal support for the outer end of said link; a second link relatively short as compared to the range of motion of the head, pivotally attached to the fat downwardly extending member at a point above thelower link; apivotal connection for itheouterzend of said short link;'means for 7 moving the lower end of the headcarrying iframe' downwardly; and means acting to .raiselthe head carrying frame. g 9. In a'press the combinationofafixedmain -Irame; a buck thereon; apressing head; a

supporting frame therefor, said supporting iframe having a forwardly extending upper .portion to which the head is attached and likewise having a rear downwardly and in =wardly extending portion; links pivotally connecting said supporting member'to the rear portion ofthe main frame, said links being spaced vertically in the length of the downwardly extending portion of the supporting member, the upper link being materially shorter than the lower link and short relatively to the range of motion of the pressing head whereby the head supporting member will be given a relatively wide range of lateral movement toward and from the buck; means connected to the supporting member serving to elevate the same; and means for forcing said supporting member downwardly.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.-

CLARENCE M. CLARKE. 

